When God doesn't "Work"

A series of domestic appliances breaking down over the past few weeks was most trying on my nerves. First the robot vacuum jammed up. Then the electric steamer 'died'. The new replacement leaked the very first time I used it.  So did the toilet which was already not working properly, 'flooding' the floor every time it flushed. Followed by repairs to both my son's and my own car which dented my pockets some more. To top it all off, my  hand-me-down made in China Blackberry phone got a bit more 'wonky' after I dropped it on the floor, and I found myself hollering hallo's at people who called me; they could hear me perfectly but at my end, there was only dead silence. (Maybe that's a good thing)

So many things breaking down got me thinking. These days, when things don't work, we simply change,  throw away, get new ones. Heck, even if there's nothing wrong with a perfectly well-functioning phone, some of us would still queue overnight to get our hands on the latest smartie upgrade. Unfortunately this phenomenon of discard isn't confined to things. We shake our heads reading cases of babies being abandoned and old parents dropped off at homes or left behind in hospital wards. Do we wonder since when have human beings become 'things' that can be simply discarded, whenever they become too boring, too inconvenient, too old, too sick, too.. whatever. So it no longer shocks me that even in the public arena, assemblymen and MBs can "get changed" in power-plays that's, well, "just politics".

In private, when marriages sail into storms after the kids/inlaws/problems come, when all the sweet lovey-dovey courtship days are forgotten, it's a toss of the coin who mentions the "D" (divorce) word first. A relationship meant to last 'for better or for worse, till death do us part' degenerates into 'easy-come, easy-go', as simple as chucking out clothes we no longer like after 3 months, 3 years or 30 years (depending on your tolerance level). I don't mean to be flippant about such a serious subject, neither am I under-estimating the complexities of human relationships; after all, I am sure no one enters into a marriage with half-an-eye to a divorce - or do we nowadays?? Could it be that somewhere along the line of so-called progress, we have been so conditioned to assume that everything is just about making 'me' happy, so when "I" am not happy for whatever reason, we automatically look around for alternative and seemingly easier options? I could be wrong, indeed I hope I am, as I only have my own limited experiences to talk about. .

A long time ago, I nearly threw away my marriage; I was pregnant with my second child then. Stressed out from a lot of things and ill from a difficult pregnancy, I was all too ready to throw in the towel on a relationship that had seen better days. I dropped the 'D' word first, and told my husband to talk to my lawyer; who was actually our mutual friend. He didn't try to talk me out of it but my lawyer did (that's what real friends are for, I guess). He just moped, and I moped too. He had said sorry, what else could he do. What else did I expect him to do? Well, for one, I expected him to change; after all he had said sorry once, he shouldn't do 'it' again, but he did, so how can I ever trust such a man? What's the point of carrying on a relationship that hurts me? Then I realized yes, there would always be a risk of getting hurt again, but my love was bigger than his betrayal. I wasn't a Christian then, but I knew I could choose to forgive the wrong, even if I couldn't forget the pain. Even if he didn't deserve another chance, I did, my kids did, my marriage did. So we stayed married, and needless to add, we went through some more ups and downs until his death indeed did we part. Was it worth it? At the time of the pain, certainly not. Still looking back, I am glad I didn't walk away from my marriage, even when it didn't seem to be working.

Taking it to another level, if this is mankind's common reaction whenever something doesn't 'work', I guess it's no surprise that we treat God the same way when He doesn't 'work'. If we can choose to turn our back on what used to be considered a sacred covenantal love-relationship with another human being - a spouse, a parent, a child - whom we can see, hear and touch, how much easier it is to give up on a God we don't see. And that is precisely what Apostle John said, "For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen" (1 John 4:20)

Thus when God doesn't act according to how we want or expect Him to, we say well, there it is, I tried God, but He doesn't work; so why should I believe He even exists? Besides, even if He did, I don't need a God who doesn't satisfy me, make me feel good or answer my questions. So He can go His way and I will go mine; let's just 'divorce'. Life may indeed seem to be much easier (and probably more fun) that way, but would it be worth it? If I had thrown my marriage away, would I have had a 'better' life being 'free' of the love which was no longer what it used to be or what I thought it should be? One thing for sure, if I had done that, both of us would have been the poorer, without our one and only son being born to us. On the other hand, I may probably have been spared the pain of being widowed so early in life. But then again I would never have known the comfort of a God who walks with me even 'through the valley of the shadow of death' otherwise. Well, perhaps I would have married again and found happiness elsewhere?

Actually hard as the journey of our marriage has been, both of us obtained something we never were looking for in the first place. We found God and the highest blessing - our souls' salvation - in the process. That's truly a priceless gain; at which point I realized happiness is so over-rated. A life worth living doesn't depend on 'me' being satisfied; it isn't something to be 'found' in things, people,circumstances or ourselves. As far as my experience goes at least, self-actualization is not the highest end all and be all of our human existence. More than mere fleeting happiness, there is a higher station called joy which can only come from knowing and trusting a God whose love never fails and is forever (unlike the love of man),  even and especially when He doesn't 'work'. When Jesus hung limp and dying on a cross, at a time when He seemed totally incapacitated to do anything for Himself, much less for anyone else, actually He was 'working' like crazy for mankind's salvation. When everything seemed to be going all wrong, that was the time everything was actually going all right, according to God's book.

So when I look at what's happening in the world around me, and I am inclined to moan and groan, complain and get angry or frustrated, I remember there is Someone more powerful than kings, governments and politicians who sees all, knows all and has everything under control, even if it really doesn't seem that way. When I am apt to think He's not doing His job or is doing a lousy job, I remember the words of the apostle James, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14) Howzat for a reality check?


Indeed the psalmist asks, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed.... The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them..." (Psalm 2:1-4). I don't think that means God finds our human foibles funny or contemptible. I think it just means the Creator of the universe doesn't get uptight, so I shouldn't too. On the contrary Jesus wept when He considered the lost estate of mankind. So why doesn't God act in the face of all the suffering, wickedness, injustice, corruption and downright evil that's going on around us? That's just it; He did. He sent Jesus. The problem is we don't see that as a solution at all; since we are apt to consider Jesus as another religious crutch for the weak and gullible, the so-called 'opiate of the masses' that turns believers into mindless fanatics who only know how to rant about sin, judgement and hell.

Well, yes, I do rant about sin, judgement and hell, but that's because it's the truth anyway, no matter how unpalatable all that is. But far from being mindless, I am very mindful of the state of this planet called earth that I inhabit. And it pains me as I am sure it pains God to see how humanity messes up. To the extent that I can, I do my part as a responsible citizen of my country and the world that I live in. But how can broken man fix a broken world? We can't save ourselves. That's why the world needs a Savior; not politics, social activism or religion. Simplistic? Naive?

Well, we can chuck out all sorts of stuff, we can even chuck out people from our lives. But chucking out God just because we think He doesn't 'work' - now that's simplistic. I took a chance on my marriage. I'll take my chance on God; He's greater than my heart. Unlike man, He's never failed me, He's definitely worth taking a risk on. Like good old prophet Job declared " Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" - Job 13:15

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance....But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells" - 2 Peter 3:8-9, 13